Adjustable scale-rack.



GLW. WORTHLNGTON.

ADJUSTABLE SCALE RAGK.

` ArPLICATIoN FILED com. 190e.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED JUNE 25. 19o?. 1

. PAT-ENTEL JUNE 25,1907. 0. W. WORTHINGTQN. ADJUSTABLE SCALE RACK.

` APPLIGATION FILED 0GT.3. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mma

UNITED sTATEs IPATENT oEEroE.

ADJUSTABLE SCALE-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

l Application filed October 3,1906. Serial No. 337,268.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. WORTH- INGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rushville7 in the county of Schuyler and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Scale-Racks, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements 1n lthat type of adjustable scale racks for platform scales in which the parts are so arranged that the scale platform may be entirely closed on all four sides for the purposes of weighing stock and in which the two sides of the rack may be swung outwardly away fromeach other to provide anopen passage way through which the Wagon load of hay or the like may pass on to the scale platform for the purpose of being weighed, the adjustable rack providing for the weighing of stock or vehicle loads of hay or similar merchandise by the mere adjustment of the parts and without the necessity of any change in the construction of the parts The object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable scale rack of this character which will be simple in construction and which may be readily adjusted from one position to the other in an expeditious manner, and the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of the arts hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out inthe ap ended claims.

or a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of constructions of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings; in which:

Figure 1 is a erspective view of Amy improved adjustablle rack with the arts in o en position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with t e parts closed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the rack in open position. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating one of the devices for limiting the outward swinging movement of the sides of the rack. Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalyiew illustrating one of the tie bars and its groove, anda portion of a gate with its lugs seated in said groove. Corresponding and like 'parts are referred to in the following descriptlon and 'indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the frame of the platform scales, and 2 the platform consisting of longitudinal bars 2*L joined together by a series of cross bars 2b. The platform is provided with edge recesses 3 the inner walls of which terminate at the outer sides of the longitudinal bars?, which roject below the cross bars ,and r0- duce a utment bars 4 on the under side o the `platform. The two sides 5 of the rack emody posts 6 that are hinged to the platform, preferably directly to the longitudinal bars 2a thereof, said posts being located in the edge recesses 3 and extending through the platform below their hinges in position to be stopped when swinging in one direction, by the engagement of their lower ends'wi'th the abutment bars 4. These posts 6 are connected to longitudinal bars 7 to produce open frames constituting two sides of the rack. To assist in limiting the outward movement of the two sides of the rack, I have provided in the present instance intermediate stop rods 8 which project downwardly from the sides 5 and into slots 9 formed in the platform as shown.

The corner posts of the two sides are extended upwardly and are connected together at their upper ends by flexible members 10,

which in the present instance comprise chain sections 11 connected together at the middle of the flexible connection by means of elongated connecting links 12., The diagonally opposite corner posts carry tie bars 13 each of which is pivoted to its respective post at one end by means of a metallic strap 14 encircling the post and the transversely opposite post is provided with spaced blocks 15 which are designed to receive the free end of the tie bar. Each bar 13 is provided with a spring latch intended to partially encircle or spring around the opposite corner post to lock the two sides of the rack together in an upright or vertical position. Each tie bar 13 .is further provided at about its middle with a slot 17 and with a longitudinal groove on its lower sidebetween the slot and the free end of the tie bar.

Gates 19 are hinged to thesides of the rack at diagonally opposite corners, to swing in a substantially horizontal plane, and the free ends of these gates are adapted to be locked to the opposite corner post by means of pin two sides 5 of the rack are brought to an upright position and are locked together by means of latches 16 of the tie bars 13, in conjunction with the flexible connecting members 10 the links 12 of which are passed downwardly through the slots 17 and turned so as to engage with the under side of the tie bars. The animals are then driven into the rack on to the platform by opening either one of the gates 19 outwardly.

Vhenever it is desired to use-the scale for the purpose of weighing hay or any wagon load, the attendant will proceed as follows: He first swings inward and on to the platform of the scale one of the gates 19 far enough so that he can pass into the inclosure; he then turns the adjacent link 12 and slips it upwardly out of the slots 17. Then he unlatches the adjacent tie bar and places it in position on top of the gate with the lug 21 in the groove 18. Leaving this gate and tie bar in this position, the attendant passes across the platform to the other gate and bar, and places them in the same position as the first. He then raises the loose end of the gate, and the side o'f the rack will assume an open position whereupon the gate is swung back and allowed to rest against the inside of the rack with the tie bar on top. This is repeated with the other gate and bar and the chain that has been a tie brace in the other position of the parts is now a top tie and relieves the bottom stops of all strain. This is a very advantageous feature, as will be noted.

When the gates and the tie bars are in position to be opened their weight will hold the sides of the rack in an upright position so that to close the rack it is only necessary to swing the gates, carrying the tie bars to nearly a closed position, when they act as a lever and close the rack, then the bar can be latched and the chain fastened to the bar to forni a tie brace. It will thus be seen that the tie bars are manipulated by means of the gates.

22 designates stops which are used as safeguards to catch the tie-bars in the event that the attendant is careless and allows the gate to swing back hard enough to displace the bar from its engagement with the gate; the bar will remain in position on top of the gate if handled properly.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided an eliicient construction of adjustable scale rack which embodies comparatively few and simple parts that are not liable to get out of order and in which the tie bars subserve two functions, namely, that of levers for swinging the sides of the racks inwardly or outwardly in con nection with the gates 19 as well as the function of connecting the upper ends of the corlner posts together in closed position, in conjunction with the flexible connecting member 10.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An adjustable scale rack, comprising a platform, a rack embodying opposite sides mounted to swing on the platform in vertical planes, flexible connecting members between said two sides of the rack and adapted to limit the movement of said sides away from each other, and tie bars adapted to hold said sides together at the inner limit of their movement and arranged for detachable connection with the flexible members.

2. An adjustable scale rack, comprising a platform, a rack embodying opposite sides hinged at their lower ends to said platform, with their upper ends adapted to swing toward and from each other, flexible connecting members secured to the upper ends of said sides, and tie bars pivotally connected to the respective sides and arranged for detachable engagement with an opposite side whereby to hold said sides together, said tie bars being also arranged for connection with the flexible connecting members.

3. An adjustable scale rack, comprising a platform, a rack embodying two sides hinged at their lower ends to the platform and including corner posts, tie bars pivotally mounted upon the corner posts of the sides and arranged for detachable engagement with the opposite corner post whereby to hold the two sides together, flexible connecting members secured at their ends to the upper ends of the opposite corner post, the tie bars being provided with slots, and the ilexible connecting members being provided with links adapted to pass through said slots for engagement with the tie bars.

4. An adjustable scale rack, comprising opposite sides, gates hinged to the respective sides, tie bars pivotally connected at one end to the respective sides above the gates, and. adapted for detachable engagement with the other side, and means for effecting a sliding engagement between said pivoted tie bars and the gates the latter serving to support the former.

5. An adjustable scale rack, comprising a platform, a rack embodying opposite sides hinged to said platform and end gates hinged to the respective sides, each gate being provided at its free end with an upwardly projecting lug, and tie bars pivotally connected to the sides of the rack and formed in their IOO ISO

6. A n vadjustable scale rack, comprising a.

platform, a rack embodying opposite sides hinged to said platform, and flexible connecting members between the two opposite sides and adapted in straight relation or position ro tok hold the two sides outwardly tilted, said iiexible connection being adapted to be held in a iieXed condition, whereby to hold the two sides upright.

In testimony whereoi1 I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. WQRTHINGTON.

Witnesses:

FELIX JACKSON, C. M. WARD.

lL. S-l 

